Israel
The creation of the modern state of Israel is nothing short of a miracle. For nearly 2000 years, the Jewish people were exiled from their home; shortly after the development of the United Nations the international community paved the way for the creation of the Jewish State. In the few decades since 1948, the small (about the size of New Jersey) nation-state has built a modern and democratic country against tremendous odds and many wars against its neighbors just to maintain its right to exist. An incredible achievement for any country, Israel is ranked 23rd on the United Nations' Human Development Index, above developed countries like South Korea, Portugal, and the Czech Republic. You can learn more about Israel at the About.com Judaism site.Telecommunications and Internet
From the telegraph to the telephone to radio and television to satellite communications and to the development of the Internet into a global network of communication, information, and education is most definitely a Wonder of the World. Where would we be without our modern system of communication that enables almost instant communication around the world?
Panama Canal
Built from 1904 to 1914, the Panama Canal was a major achievement in transportation technology, opening not only the Pacific Coast of North America but also the remainder of the Pacific Rim into the world economy, which helped to create the highly competitive countries that exist around the Pacific Rim today.Increase in Life Expectancy
During Roman times, life expectancy was around 22 to 25 years of age. In 1900, it was not much better - about 30 years of age. Today, life expectancy is more than double that of just over a century ago, about 66 as of this writing. Life expectancy as a Wonder of the World represents all of the public health and medical technology improvements that have accumulated to make life for most, although certainly not all, far more healthy and long lasting than it ever was. Read more about life expectancy right here on my site.Well, that's seven! If you have comments, please post them on my Geography Blog.
